ROTARY People of Action

Friday

Mar 15, 2019 at 12:01 AM

The Rotary Club of Cambridge is in its 100th year of providing service to the Cambridge community, as well as supporting Rotary International’s worldwide service efforts. As part of this celebration year a series of articles are being published on its history. The following is the fourth of eleven articles that are appearing in The Daily Jeffersonian, chronicling the club’s service efforts serving the Cambridge community and the World.

1949-1950 ?Columbus Mayor James A. Rhodes (later Governor of Ohio) addressed our club on his experiences abroad as the U.S. chief representative to the 1948 Olympic games in London, England.

The Club’s 30th anniversary was observed with dinner at Ninth St. Methodist Church with U.S. Sen. Robert A. Taft as the main speaker. A memorial service was conducted by Harry W. Amos, paying tribute to the memory of club members who died within the past year. Such services have been conducted annually for years by Harry Amos and it was his last one, as he died September 29. The Barnesville Rotary Club in a written tribute to his memory pointed out that he was the official representative to Rotary International in overseeing the organization of the Barnesville Club in 1923.

A Ladies' Night dinner was held at the Country Club with Harold A. Pickett, humorist and poet, serving as the speaker. Tributes were paid to Dr. W.G. Lane, honorary member, in recognition of his more than 50 years in the practice of medicine and Dr. Henry L. Wells, practicing physician in Cambridge for 47 years. Club contributions go to the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Fourth of July fireworks fund, the expenses to send a boy to Boys' State, and purchase of equipment for the YMCA.

Membership dues were increased from $20 to $30 per year.

1951 - 1952

Cambridge Rotary makes financial contributions in support of a boy and a girl at Cambridge High School and a chaperon to the World Affairs Institute in Cincinnati, send a boy to Boys' State at Camp Perry, the YMCA basketball team, a radio for The County Home, the Choral Society concert at Scottish Rite Auditorium, the High School Band Transportation Fund and to the City Halloween Fund, of which the club is co-sponsor.

The board recommends that $6,000 be pledged to Guernsey Memorial Hospital to be paid over a period of three years. Cambridge Rotary hosted a District Rotary Forum held at Central High School with 17 clubs represented. Club members were treated to dinner at the County Home as guests of Mr. and Mrs. O.D. Inskeep, superintendent and matron. A payment of $2,000 was made toward club's hospital pledge.

Long time members, Harry Kirke and Fred L. Sears, represented the club at R.I. convention in Atlantic City, NJ.

Continuing its crippled children support, the club entertained 20 crippled children with a Christmas dinner. A survey was made on the club's crippled children's program, The survey indicated that 35 members personally contacted children assigned to them and many gifts and toys were given. It was estimated that in 30 years, the club has engaged in crippled children work, it has given assistance to about 600 handicapped youngsters and expended approximately $30,000.

The club realized $407.78 as result of sponsoring a circus. The money was used to reduce its pledge to the hospital. Club provides for three high school seniors to go to the World Affairs Institute, for transportation of high school band to out-of-town games, and funds for a Halloween celebration to be sponsored by the YMCA. The club also provided funds for a tent for convenience of county fair goers.

The net income of about $100 is realized from Edgar A. Guest visit. This was supplemented with money from the Crippled Children's Fund to reduce club’s hospital pledge by $1,500.

Our Club moves its Wednesday’s meeting place to the Elks Lodge, with meals to cost $2.10. Wilmer H. Driggs and Robert Hoyle were club delegates at the R.I. convention in Mexico City.?1954 -1956

Club makes a $1,000 payment to reduce its pledge to the Hospital. The Club decides to sponsor a float in the All-America City parade. Rotarian Robert M. Gay served as Chairman of the cities All-America Committee. The YMCA initiates a new program at Garfield and Glass Plant schools, (called Gra-Y), with club assisting with a donation. Donations of note are: funds to finance new lighting system at Pine Athletic Field, furnished a TV set to County Home, and payment of expenses for a boy at Boys' State. Club purchases 11,000 seedlings to be planted at the new City Forest. Club again holds a family picnic on State Hospital grounds. The club is on the move, this time it decides to hold its noon meetings at the Beverly Hills Restaurant.

1957 - 1959

Rotary Club pledged $1,500 to YMCA building fund, to be paid over a period of three years. Club sponsors two high school seniors at World Affairs Institute in Cincinnati and entertains 44 children at club's annual Christmas party. Cambridge club joins the Zanesville club in holding a Ladies' Night dinner at Muskingum College. Club members assist in holding wiener roast and track meet for Gra-Y clubs.

Robert W. Amos named the club’s delegate to R.I. Convention in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Dr. Joseph Duncan, a 1954 graduate of Cambridge High School, begins his studies at the London School of Economic and Political Science. He was the recipient of a full two year (1960-61) Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship.

(This concludes the chronicling the fourth ten years (1950-1959) of Cambridge Rotary’s service activities. We hope you have enjoyed it and please watch for a continued article in the forth coming weeks.) To contact Cambridge Rotary, please call Steve Donahue at 740-630-4717. To learn more about Rotary International or Cambridge Rotary Club visit their web sites: https://www.rotary.org/ and http://www.cambridgeohiorotary.org/. )

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